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Growing from Seed

Why are my Foxglove seedlings dying off?

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I'm having trouble with my foxglove seedlings, and I'm not sure why. I am sowing them indoors using a seed starting kit. They germinate fine, but about two weeks after germination, even though they have two leaves, they start dying off. It doesn't look like damping off; rather, it looks more like the seedlings just stop growing or shrivel up.

Last year, I sowed 16 seeds: 13 germinated, but one by one over the course of a few weeks, most of them gradually died off. In the end, only two survived.

I tried sowing again this year, and I'm running into the same problem. I started with a Jiffy seed starting kit with capillary mat, so I think they are getting proper moisture. Also, the kit is new, so I don't think pathogen or fungus contamination would be an issue.

Can anyone who has successfully grown foxglove from seed help?

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Comments (4)

digdirt2
8 years ago
The first thing that comes to mind is the capillary mat. They tend to way OVER-water most things, keep the soil too wet. And overly wet soil kills more seedlings than just about everything else combined. Roots rot and the seedling slowly dies by drowning.

Most of us tend to over-water our seedlings even without capillary matting so try getting them off it and see if some won't recover if it isn't already too late. Keep in mind that seedlings need the O2 they get from drier spaces in the soil just as much, if not more, than they need water. Many times less water is the cure.

dave
saki7a
8 years ago
Thanks for the suggestion! That makes a lot of sense. I will removed the tray from the capillary mat and see if that helps. One quick follow-up question: without the mat, how often should I be watering them?

Saki
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
8 years ago
We can't tell you how often you should be watering because there are no rules other than to water when the plants need it. If the soil is dry well below the surface you can water. But don't go by the calendar or the appearance of the soil surface.

Apart from excess water it is also possible that your seedlings are too hot. Foxglove is a hardy plant and once the seeds have germinated it needs no additional heat. They also need air - you aren't keeping a dome on them are you?
saki7a
8 years ago
Thank you for your reply. That's an interesting idea. I thought the temperature was OK. The room is a constant 65ºF (about 18ºC) and I removed the dome as soon as the first seedlings sprouted. Also, I forgot to mention earlier that I have a small fan nearby to circulate air—it is on the lowest setting and is far enough away that the seedlings are vibrating in the air.

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